Spain signs agreement with the UN to establish a division of the Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies in Valencia

The Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, greets Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General and United Nations Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies

The Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, has formalised with Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary General and United Nations Special Envoy on Digital and Emerging Technologies, the voluntary contribution of 3 million euros to the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, recently approved by the Council of Ministers, which aims to support global cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) governance.

Amandeep Singh Gill thanked "the Government of Spain for its firm commitment and contribution to the UN's efforts in the field of AI governance cooperation. The contribution will help advance the recommendations made by the Secretary-General's High-level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence last year in its final report 'Governing AI for Humanity'". Furthermore, he stressed that the agreement will strengthen international cooperation to harness the potential of AI for the benefit of people and the planet, while ensuring respect for international standards and human rights.

"Today we take another step forward in Spain's leadership of the multilateral digital agenda. In times of geopolitical tension, trade wars and technological oligopolies, we send a great message: We do not want to use technology to divide countries, but to multiply opportunities," said Minister Óscar López.

With this signing ceremony, which was also attended by the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, María González Veracruz, Spain aims to ensure that the responsible innovation model it is applying for artificial intelligence has an international impact and scope. In fact, it is the most ambitious voluntary contribution that any country has ever made to the UN on AI Governance.

Continuing the Government of Spain's commitment to recovery and reconstruction in the aftermath of the DANA, ODET will establish the division at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) headquarters in Valencia. It will be dedicated to research on AI standards and policy development, risk rating, and to supporting the secretariat of the different initiatives coinciding with the monitoring of the Global Digital Compact over the next two years.

Meeting of the International Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence

On the other hand, the UN Under-Secretary General and Special Envoy on Digital and Emerging Technologies joined the second meeting of the eleven experts that make up the International Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence convened by the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Public Function, with the aim of making progress in the deployment of technology at the service of people and progress.

Within the framework of the Council meeting, Amandeep Singh Gill also met with representatives of the Spanish ecosystem invited by the Ministry, from academia, industry and civil society, who shared their considerations in the context of the international dialogue promoted by the United Nations on AI Governance.

Non official translation